"'William,' she answered, 'ignorant of the world I may be; but I know that your remaining on shore would only give rise to the calumnies which you would wish to prevent. You would make yourself an object for the laughter and remarks of your shipmates; and would disoblige your owners, who, after this voyage, have promised you the command of a vessel. And for what would you do this, but through fear of a wretch on whom I could not waste a single thought, and on whom I regret that I have thrown away a single word.' "At that moment Jack Jenkins, with his wife Betty, weeping like a mermaid under his arm, hove in sight, and the moment he beheld his comrade, he called out--'Hollo, Bill! how did you and Polly manage to pass the old Commodore of _the Ship_; I saw him keeping a look-out abaft there.' But his wife sobbed while he was speaking, and, as he approached his shipmate, he continued--'Take aback in time, Bill, and don't marry--I ask your pardon, Polly, and yours too, Betty, my love,' kissing his wife's cheeks; 'I don't exactly mean not to marry, either--but this parting company breaks up one's heart, like an old fir-built craft that is not fit for fire-wood. I wish the lubber's back had a round dozen that invented the word--_good-by_! It always sticks in my throat, like pushing a piece of old junk down it.' "While he was speaking, a king's cutter shot round a point of land, with a pack of lobsters abaft; and the black fellow, Boatswain Rigby, sat in her bow. She was within twenty yards of where they stood. "'Fly, William!--fly!' said Mary, wildly; 'it is you they seek--my heart tells me it is you--oh, fly!' "'Be not afraid, dearest,' said Stanley; 'I do not think they mean harm to us, and, if they did, flight is impossible.' "'Oh, run! run!' cried Betty Jenkins; 'see--the marines are handling their muskets.' "'Run! why, it's of no use running,' said her husband; 'the lobsters would bring a fellow up with their pepper-boxes before he could run a quarter of a cable's length.' "The boat took the ground, and Rigby, with a party of sailors and marines, sprang on shore. "'Well, my hearties,' said the boatswain, 'will either of you volunteer to serve his Majesty?' "'Why, sir'----Jack Jenkins was replying, when his wife placed her hand upon his mouth, saying--'Are you a fool, Jack?' "'What!' said the boatswain, 'no volunteers! Well, we want but one of you. This is our man,' and he touched Stanley on the shoulder with his cutlass. "'Oh!' cried Mary, addressing the boatswain, as she fell upon William's neck; 'spare him! spare him! and with my last coin I will endeavour to procure a substitute in his stead.' "'It won't do, my pretty maiden,' said Rigby; 'in these times we can't lose so promising a prize, for a woman's tears. Marines, to the boat with him.' "'Hold! servile slaves!' cried Stanley, as they attempted to drag him away; 'allow me to bid adieu to my Mary and to my friends here, or I defy the worst you can do.'